yoz, ppl. i posted this story on fictionpress but then decided to transfer it here, thinking it more suitable. more rs fans here. yep, microtosh is my username. i'm an ex-runescaper. not much fun on it asa f2p.hav fun reading and R & R, thx.

RUNESCAPE - Prologue

The lecture was painfully boring. It had finally ended after the long two hours. Jason slammed his notebook shut and stuffed it into his backpack. The audience stood up and bade goodbye to the lecturer. Jason shuffled his feet, joining the crowd leaving the theatre. He had better rush to the dining hall. The queue would be long soon, and he really needed to fill his groaning tummy. And of course, there was another reason he feared.

Jason quickened his pace, then turned to leaping up the stairway, 2 steps at a time. The grueling waiting began as he joined the queue. He was the 6th in the queue, he counted silently. As the queue grew longer, some bastards began shifting and cutting into the queue before him. Jason did a silent count again. He was the 14th guy now.

Yet, he could do nothing. He was helpless to the endless unlawful actions and crimes that those bastards commit around him. Another guy cut the queue right before him. He gritted his teeth, clenching his fist. But he made it compulsory not to produce any rude guttural sounds. The rude bastard turned back and grabbed his collar.

"Not happy isit?"

Jason kept quiet. It was better to let the idiot's temper die down.

"Why don't answer?"

Silence. The idiot saw his clenched fists.

"Okay. Wanna fight? Fight then fight lah."

But Jason knew he had something else in mind. Years of being bullied had supplied him psychological knowledge and vastless information of what the various facial expressions on the opponent's face meant.

The bastard stepped on Jason's foot and shoved him out of the queue. It was followed by an unhygienic spit. Jason stood up and wiped the spit off with a piece of tissue, making sure that his fingers were not contaminated.

"Sissy! Comeon, look at him. A guy using tissue!" His friends laughed along.

Jason ignored them and moved forward to join back the queue.

"Don't cut queue." It was followed by laughter. "Comeon, you said it yourself."

"And don't show me your rude face." A blow was executed, hitting home. Jason shook his head, and left.

"Coward. Go cry to your mama."

That was the trouble with bastards and bullies. These idiots do not comprehend any form of rule, law, irony or anyone form of philosophy or law and order. He did not feel like queuing up again, considering the increasing length of the queue. He had to go hungry for the day. He went back to the lecture theatre, awaiting the next lecture.

As he entered the theatre, his eyes did a quick scan of the seats. No familiar faces or friends to sit next to. He randomly selected a seat. After a short while, a guy sat next to him.

"Hi."

Jason considered the option of continuing the conversation. He knew the result. There was no choice. Not replying would simply quicken the process. The two of them conversed a while, as the theatre filled up again with the crowd. The next lesson would be biology. He attempted to mask his growing fear as the guy beside him sized him up.

The seats in the theatre were all occupied. Dozens of unfortunate students were forced to seat at the steps. Jason knew that it would be soon. Or perhaps now. He was not wrong.

"I see my friend. I'm sorry. But can you change your seat with him?"

What could he say? Deny? He had no guts to do that. "Where's your friend?" The guy pointed randomly to a seat at the other end of the theatre. He stood up and moved away. Another student on the steps took his seat and began chatting with the guy. He winced instantly, feeling guilt and betrayal. Yet, it was all he had expected. He sat sulking on the steps, opening his notebook.

Jason soon got bored, his eyes wondering and searching through the audience. They found his target. A female of good looks, intelligence and attitude. She stood up, mouthing words to question the lecturer. How beautiful the tone! His gaze moved down to other attractive parts of her body. He wished he could bed her. Almost instantly, he shook the thought away. It was stupid.

Jason sighed. She was so far away. Biology class was the only lesson that he could see her. His marks were average, his looks average and his interaction skills with fellow humans could most probably be the lousiest in the world. As for her, she excelled in her studies, had many friends ( including good-looking boys ). What could possibly make her be attracted to him. She was a star high up in the night sky. Too high for him to reach.

The lesson ended. It was the last of the day. Jason made his way to the school exit, towards the bus-stop. He was a lonely guy, without a friend. Nobody liked him, he thought, as he sat down. Jason began day-dreaming. It was the only skill that he was proud of, besides excelling in bully psychology. He thought he could earn a job in the future as a psychologist. He pushed the thought away, concentrating on his dream.

Jason knew he was being foolish. Yet, every young man with warm blood flowing and pumping in his veins, would desire for people to admire him, girls to like him. In his day-dreams, he would possess supernatural abilities, becoming a hero in their eyes. He made bullies beg in front of him and he would correct their errors and made them regret hurting him before. As for the girls, he would made them like him, showering them with gifts, protecting them …

He knew this was all fictional. Perhaps, badly-fashioned fictional dreams. The bus was still not here. Jason lifted his head to gaze at the sky. Was there a god somewhere? There should be. They had to. How could so many legendary tales and folk stories exist, with nothing at the foundation? Somehow, there must be magic in the world. No matter how little. For the concept to exist or begin, magic must have occurred before, sometime in history, witnessed by humans, who then began their primitive religions.

Seriously, he thought. He wished he had magic. He could be immortal and overcome death. Jason detested death. Yet, sometimes, he welcomed it. In fact, how many people in the vast universe would even mourn for him when he died? Not many. His relatives would shed crocodile tears. Definitely, he had no friends who would miss him. Only his siblings and parents. Less than five of them.

Comeon, he pleaded, bring me out of this crapped-up world. He pleaded and begged in his mind silently, to any form of power, god, immortal, or even a being from higher dimensions. Pick me off this dreaded world. I would be at my knees, worshipping you, doing your errands. Whatever you want. Get me out of here.